Town hall meeting on Staten Island for GOP U.S. Senate candidate Wendy Long

View full sizeGOP U.S. Senate candidate Wendy Long will visit Staten Island Monday night for a town hall meeting.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- With the borough looming large in her U.S. Senate campaign, GOP candidate Wendy Long will host a town hall meeting here on Monday sponsored by the Staten Island Tea Party.

"I'm anxious to hear their thoughts and take those thoughts out onto the campaign trail with me," Ms. Long told the Advance in a telephone interview.

The event will be held at the Old Bermuda Inn, Rossville, beginning at 7 p.m. The town hall meeting is open to all. There is a $10 admission fee, which is being collected to pay for rental of the location.

Ms. Long, an attorney who is also on the Conservative Party line, is running against U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.).

Ms. Long said she was "delighted" to learn that she'd won the Island in the June GOP primary, when she was backed by GOP chairman Robert Scamardella and others here.

"It was a close one," she said. "It's a sweet victory, and sweetest for chairman (Robert) Scamardella. He and his committee were big boosters of mine."

Ms. Long said Staten Island was "the key" for any Republican running statewide.

"It's a place where Republicans and Conservatives have a real voice," she said. "Republican can get a good toehold."

Conservative Borough President James Molinaro and Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis (R-East Shore/Brooklyn) were also early backers of Ms. Long.

Tea Party co-organizer Lorraine Scanni pointed out that Ms. Long's visit comes on the heels of Tea Party candidate Ted Cruz's victory in the U.S. Senate primary in Texas.

"We are thrilled to have Ms. Long coming to address the Staten Island Tea Party, especially in wake of the Cruz victory, which shows that the Tea Party movement is as vibrant as ever and is still gaining influence," Ms. Scanni said.

Ms Long and Cruz graduated Harvard Law School together in 1995.

Ms. Scanni added that Ms. Long's candidacy "puts to rest" claims by those on the left that the GOP is engaging in a "war on women."

Ms. Long said she hoped that the town hall meeting "would give me more ammunition for that dispute I'm having with Kirsten Gillibrand."

She praised the borough Tea Party for being among the "early and strong" chapters in the movement.

"They're dedicated," said Ms. Long. "They know the issues. They are very focused and centered. They don't get diverted easily."

Scamardella applauded Ms. Long for visiting the Island.

"The fact that Ms. Long is coming to Staten Island is indicative of the fact that she will be a senator who is interested in Island issues, moreso than the incumbent has shown," he said. "The more Islanders see her, the more support she will garner here," Scamardella said.

Ms. Long said she would also meet Monday with former GOP Borough President Guy Molinari, who supported Rep. Bob Turner in the Republican primary.

"He's always been very gracious to me," Ms. Long said of Molinari. "I admire him a great deal."

Said Molinari, "She's a very special lady. It's a tough race for her. She'd make a great senator. I respect her deeply."